Rainy Days
by TheCoffeeFox
Summary: AU Hakkai and Sanzo are roommates who both share unhappy memories associated with the rain. One wet day they meet a couple of distractions.  Suggested 58 and 39 but easy to overlook if desired.


It had been pouring all day, drenching the world in enough water to turn the ground into soup and make the rivers rise in their banks. Green eyes stared out of a foggy window at the falling precipitation. Rain always depressed him. His roommate Sanzo had complained about his melancholy but really the man had little room to talk since he was just as bad. Hakkai often believed Sanzo only complained about his depression to make him feel guilty enough to leave the apartment, which allowed the blonde to do his own brooding in solitude.

The brunette sighed again and forced his attention back to the open textbook laying on the table and the cooling cup of tea next to it. The small café was a favorite of his and he often came there to study. Rainy days made accomplishing anything difficult however. They always made him think of other things. Like the days he had spent being happy rather than just content or most often, the day when all that happiness was taken away in one cruel twist of fate. His happiness had drained away into the gutter along with her blood.

Lost in painful thoughts Hakkai didn't notice when a group of punks entered the café to get out of the rain. Joking loudly a red head and a bleach blonde began to hit on the girl behind the counter. Finally another member of the gang got tired of waiting for his turn and grabbed one of them by the shoulder and jerked him backward. The red head turned to the smaller man, "Oi, watch it."

"You're in the way. I the Great Zakuro will show you how to woo this beauty."

The red head laughed and tossed an arm around the blonde who had been taking advantage of his friend's distraction. "Hey Banri, where did you find this guy again? He thinks he can best Sha Gojyo in picking up chicks. Woo? Who the hell talks like that?"

The blonde pushed the red head off. "A blind monkey could pick up chicks better than you!" "Hey!" Gojyo objected and a shoving/insult match began while the purple haired man stepped up to the counter and began talking to the wide-eyed girl.

Hakkai lifted his teacup mechanically and sipped but was suddenly and violently distracted from the past as a lanky red head crashed back first into his table. The small round table was no match for the weight of a grown man and toppled sending Hakkai's textbooks flying. The red head fell straight down, his bottom hitting the ground hard and his head landing directly into Hakkai's lap. There was a moment when the world seemed to pause as an equal surprise brunette and red head looked at each other. Then the red head grinned and winked. "Hi."

Hakkai blinked. "Hello."

"Sorry about the table but at least I didn't spill your coffee ne?"

Hakkai snorted. "Tea actually. Would you mind getting out of my lap?"

Gojyo grin widened. "I don't know, your lap is pretty comfortable and it comes with a great view. Are your eyes really that green?"

Hakkai found himself shaking his head in exasperation. "I'm wearing glasses, why would I be wearing contacts too?"

Gojyo shrugged. "You never know." He was just about to say something else when a foot connected with his side.

"Come on dumb ass, the rain's stopped." Hakkai glanced up to the window to see that the previous downpour was indeed now barely a trickle.

The red head tilted his head to glare at his friend. "Go ahead without me. I'll catch up with you guys later."

Banri glanced at Hakkai then back to his buddy. "You serious? A dude?" Gojyo had gone back to looking up at green eyes and winked again. "Who ignores good fortune when you fall in its lap?"

"Fortune am I?" The brunette raised an eyebrow. He was having difficulties. Staring was impolite but it was hard not to gaze back at someone who was laying in your lap and who was already staring at you. Besides the red head had the most fascinating brownish-red eyes.

"Fortunate for me. Guess I'm just a lucky kinda guy. You should try playing cards with me sometime."

"I am rather proficient at cards actually."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. And again I'm going to ask you to remove yourself from my lap Mr…"

"Gojyo, Sha Gojyo."

Realizing he had ceased to exist in Gojyo's immediate world, Banri shook his head in disgust and stomped to the door dragging the smaller Zakuro with him.

After a bit more banter Hakkai finally managed to persuade Gojyo by standing up and removing his lap from the discussion. Gojyo quickly scrambled to his feet and convinced Hakkai to sit back down while he righted the table and picked up the brunette's books. Then after gaining assurances that the green eyed man wasn't going to bolt for the door as soon as the red head turned his back, Gojyo went to back to the counter and order a cup of coffee and another cup of tea. Paying for the beverages, he returned to the table and sat down across from the brunette.

Hakkai gave him a look that clearly said '_I didn't invite you to join me_' and Gojyo answered it with a smile that said '_Aren't you glad I invited myself?_' Hakkai sighed and gave in.

Hours later Hakkai looked up in shock to realize that daylight was fading fast. He and Gojyo had been talking for most of the day. Gojyo had asked about his textbooks and he had reluctantly told the other man about returning to college after taking a year off. He had even found himself telling the red head _why_ he took the year off, which was something he never talked about not even to Sanzo. Gojyo had in turn spoke dropping out of high school, his stepmother's death, and even a bit about his childhood. Often they would both stop talking and just sit in silence for a while, then one or the other would speak again sharing some tid bit of information either mundane or personal.

Hakkai found himself reluctant to leave but knew that he had to go. It was already late and Sanzo would worry even if the surly blonde would never admit it. Also it was past dinner and it was his turn to cook. Sanzo wouldn't complain of course, but he also wouldn't eat and the man was thin enough as it was.

Hakkai eyed Gojyo's lanky frame. He also could use a little fatting up. The brunette bit his lip in indecision. Sanzo would kill him if he brought a stranger home. Gojyo watched the other man closely. "Time to go huh?"

Hakkai blinked once and focused on the red head. Gojyo shrugged and smiled but it was a bit forced. "Maybe we can meet up again sometime yeah?" The smile struck a cord somewhere in Hakkai and he made his decision. Sanzo could get upset with him but he wasn't ready to let Gojyo go just yet. "Perhaps you would like to join me at my house for dinner?"

Gojyo instantly perked up. "Yeah? I mean sure. When?"

"Tonight?"

The smile he received in answer was breath taking. "Sure!"

Once they reached his apartment building Hakkai paused.

"Having second thoughts?" Gojyo asked, extinguishing the cigarette he had lit along the way.

"No, of course not. But I do have a roommate and he can sometimes be rather…difficult. He is especially not fond of strangers so I would appreciate it if you let me do the talking when we go in and please don't take immediate offense. Sanzo often doesn't mean everything the way he says it."

"Hm…guy sounds like a prick to me but I'll follow your lead." The red head agreed. Hakkai sighed in relief and they entered the building.

Once inside the apartment Hakkai glanced around but Sanzo was nowhere in immediate sight. "Mind if I use the bathroom?" Gojyo asked right next to his ear making him jump slightly. Hakkai glared a warning and Gojyo flashed him that smile again. "Down the hall and on the left. I'll see if Sanzo is in his room."

Sanzo was indeed in his room sitting on the widow sill smoking, wearing just a pair of jeans and a towel draped around his shoulders. His hair was still wet. "Sanzo? You're wet, what happened?"

The blonde ignored him for a moment, then finally glanced his way and answered. "Nothing. Went for a walk."

Hakkai often thought living with Sanzo was like living with a blonde human sized cat. "But it stopped raining some time ago."

Again there was a pause before acknowledgment and an answer. "It's still muddy. Took a shower when I got back. Are you done with the questions now?" Another pause, "Your late."

"Ah ha yes. About dinner…"Hakkai began but was interrupted by a loud shout that was quickly echoed by another voice. Sanzo and Hakkai made it to the hall at the same time to see a tall red head heatedly arguing with a short brunette with a towel around his waist.

"Pervert!"

"I'm not a pervert!"

"You were trying to peep at me in the shower!"

"Was not! I don't peep at baby monkeys!"

"I'm not a monkey!"

"You sure chatter like a monkey!"

"Sanzo! You've got cockroaches! Perverted ones!"

"Who're you calling a perverted cockroach you stupid monkey?"

Sanzo turned around and disappeared returning a moment later with a newspaper. Rolling it up as he advanced on the two he brought it down hard repeatedly on both their heads until they stopped their bickering and cringed with their hands covering their heads.

"Hey!"

"What was that for?"

Hakkai sighed. "Really Sanzo, was that necessary?"

Sanzo looked at Hakkai and raised and eyebrow. "It worked didn't it?" He pointed the newspaper toward Gojyo who automatically flinched. "What's that?"

Hakkai stepped forward and put a hand on the newspaper until Sanzo lowered it. "_That_ is Sha Gojyo. I invited him to join us for dinner." Sanzo frown and made an unimpressed noise.

"May I ask who this young gentleman leaking water all over the floor is?"

"I'm Son Goku." The brunette piped at the same time Sanzo said, "It followed me home."

Sanzo glared at the bouncing ball of energy and crossed his arms. Goku grinned back completely unaffected. "Feed it. Then kick it out." Sanzo ordered turning around and heading back to his room. Goku bounced along behind him completely ignoring the blonde's go away vibes.

"Was he talking about me or the monkey?" Gojyo asked Hakkai. The green eyed man shrugged. "I have no idea. Tell me Gojyo, do you know how to play mahjong? I think a game would be nice after dinner."

Gojyo smiled. "Yeah, I do." He answered following Hakkai to the kitchen.

The rain started falling again that night, but no one noticed.


End file.
